_________________________Live and Let Die."If I have to choose between defending the wolf or the dog, I choose the wolf, especially when he is bleeding." -- Jaques Verges"I may have my faults, but being wrong ain't one of them." -- Jimmy Hoffa"As for wars, well, there's only been 268 years out of the last 3421 in which there were no wars. So war, too, is in the normal course of events." -- Will Durant."Satanism is the worship of life, not a hypocritical, whitewashed vision of life, but life as it really is." -- Anton Szandor LaVeyA membership ticket in this party does not confer genius on the holder. -- Benito MussoliniMY BOOK: ESSAYS IN SATANISM | MY BLOG: COSMODROMIUM | Deep Satanism Blog

An excellent read! I noticed this when it was first posted on the COS website, and it is now among my favorites of LaVey's essays. I'm surprised it wasn't included in The Devil's Notebook.I agree fully with his stand on the work of past white-light occultists: 99% of it is useless bunkum. If a Satanist wishes to study the work of these kooks, he should do so with the knowledge that it can only be used as a supplement to (NOT a substitute for) true Satanic ritual.

_________________________Some boys grow up into men who can look at themselves in the mirror in the morning, and others just go along with the crowd, forgetting after a while that they ever had a choice. ---Roger Ebert

The comical thing is, white lighters and Pagans will occasionally try to sneer at me on the grounds that my magical tradition isn't filled with superfluous k's and fluff. If it's said simply and frankly, why, it must not be all that useful or impressive. It has to be lofty and incomprehensible in order to be REEEEEAL.

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"Gentlemen, the verdict is guilty, on all ten counts of first-degree stupidity. The penalty phase will now begin."--Divine, "Pink Flamingos."

Yes, this is definitely a must read. LaVey really puts it into perspective. Initially, when I bought my first copy of The Satanic Bible, I was hesitant to jump into it because I expected it to be full of such esoteric mumbo jumbo. I was relieved to find that it was written with so much reason and common sense. I was like "hey, this is me"!

What really impressed me was his straight forward ideology of magic. I have flipped through many "accult" books looking for the real thing only to find a bunch of lovey dovey, leaf eating, "feal sorry for your own power" bull shit. It was a breath of fresh air to read a book that affirmed something that I have felt all my life, yet until that point, had been at odds with.

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They are doomed because they cannot even glimpse beyond the construct that their masters have put into place. Their masters are doomed because they believe in the construct they created.

Same shit different day. Each author bad mouthing the previous big author ad infinitum as a means to clarify the basic truths yet use derogatory veiws to plup their own opinions thusly lessening there own character.

If you understood the Essay you would see that 'same shit, different day' is precisely what LaVey was writing against in blunt and unreserved fashion, an admirable trait which shines through in all his written works, and is supremely lacking in most 'magickal' tomes.

Quote: If you understood the Essay you would see that 'same shit, different day' is precisely what LaVey was writing against in blunt and unreserved fashion, an admirable trait which shines through in all his written works.

I don't fully agree with what he says on that essay. It gives the impression that one must take what he says for the only truth without studying anything else for themselves, on magic and occultism. He studied all occult forms out there, prior to forming the church and most certainly have applied some of it in inspiration. On The Secret Life Of A Satanist for example Magistra Blanch Barton comments briefly on his involvement with Thelema ( damnit, why did I not underline that part for reference! ). What Satanist doesn't have the desire of reading everything in Anton LAVey's library? It is also written elsewhere by HP Peter Gilmore, if I am not mistaken, that anything can be used in the ritual chamber to intensify the purpose... that is more like it, in my opinion. In order to question everything, one must study "everything" ... one can never know if they are " true Satanists " if they haven't dabbed in other territories. Water must be allowed to seek it's own level. I'm of the opinion that the studies of all areas can only enrich the Satanist. True, most occultists act and speak like if they resided in the moon, but Satanists know better than that, and remember not to throw the baby out with the bath water either. I used to dismiss anything Anton LaVey did not agree with, used to, I mean, c' mon, not very individualistic that isn't.

Quote: I don't fully agree with what he says on that essay. It gives the impression that one must take what he says for the only truth without studying anything else for themselves, on magic and occultism.

Where did he say that? I suggest you actually read the article before reacting to it.

You are tilting at windmills of your own creation.

_________________________Live and Let Die."If I have to choose between defending the wolf or the dog, I choose the wolf, especially when he is bleeding." -- Jaques Verges"I may have my faults, but being wrong ain't one of them." -- Jimmy Hoffa"As for wars, well, there's only been 268 years out of the last 3421 in which there were no wars. So war, too, is in the normal course of events." -- Will Durant."Satanism is the worship of life, not a hypocritical, whitewashed vision of life, but life as it really is." -- Anton Szandor LaVeyA membership ticket in this party does not confer genius on the holder. -- Benito MussoliniMY BOOK: ESSAYS IN SATANISM | MY BLOG: COSMODROMIUM | Deep Satanism Blog

It seemes to me that he was saying that their white light mysticism was 90% bullshit and 10% real knowledge and he encouraged us to dig through the shit for ourselves to prove his point.Just my take on it.DMP

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"That which does not kill us makes us stronger""The dreams of youth are the regrets of maturity"